Ok APU,Time too send in your pics for the next POTM contest... Please email me at metal.maniac@live.com or please PM myself ...Depending on how many pics we get and the variety of species we will have several categories...Only 1 pic per member per species so you can send in 1 fish 1 cat 1 lizard just not 2 fish 2 cat...you get the idea!!...So send em in and lets make this a BIG ONE!!!... Cheers!!!...Metal Maniac and the APU Staff

Well like most drift wood it probably will leach out a little tannin, causing the water to be tinted a light brown color. No biggie thou and should clear up in no time.As for pH is can cause a slight lowering of the pH. I think most drift wood does thou, shouldn't be anything major. Just prep it and keep a eye on your water chem and you shouldn't have a problem.

_________________Never leave an enemy behind or it will rise again to fly at your throat. Memorable quotes from "Shaka Zulu"

Well my tap water is hard and has a PH of 8.2 but I have a couple maylasian wood in there with peet in my FX5 canister. Also i have a couple almond leaves in the aquarium and my PH is at a constant 7.6. I don't even notice the water tinted brown since I also use carbon in my filter! Does the carbon ever clear the water up! If I pull the carbon out it looks like brackish water. I only notice a brown tint with the light off. But, i'm planning to change the aquascape in my tank and using this asain driftwood but I need to maintain my PH level for my piranha.

Insanity wrote:Well my tap water is hard and has a PH of 8.2 but I have a couple maylasian wood in there with peet in my FX5 canister. Also i have a couple almond leaves in the aquarium and my PH is at a constant 7.6. I don't even notice the water tinted brown since I also use carbon in my filter! Does the carbon ever clear the water up! If I pull the carbon out it looks like brackish water. I only notice a brown tint with the light off. But, i'm planning to change the aquascape in my tank and using this asain driftwood but I need to maintain my PH level for my piranha.

Well let me ask you this,what look are you going for Clear or brackish?If you want clear I would remove the Peat and the almond leaves. Now if you are going for the brackish look keep the leaves and peat, but drop the carbon. The carbon is working overtime with the leaves and peat, so your water will never be crystal clear nor complete brackish.

As for the pH you could treat the tank with chemicals or even co2 if you go planted tank route.I don't remember the name of the stuff I use to use to drop my pH, but I will look through my stuff to find it. Also, if I remember correct lime stone will drop pH also. So you might be able to take some and add it to your FX filter -- check on this first before doing thou.

pH down -- Proper pH could be used, but I would go slower than what the direction say..

_________________Never leave an enemy behind or it will rise again to fly at your throat. Memorable quotes from "Shaka Zulu"

I just wanted to know if asain driftwood leaks tannins to lower PH. I know only a few types of would will lower PH. It doesn't matter to me if its brackish or clear. My FX5 does and awesome job keeping my water clear. With the lights on the water is crystal clear. But i rather use a natural way of lowering PH levels instead of using chemicals to lower it. I have to put peet and almond leaves since the water quality here in my town sucks!! Even my local fish store told me that i'd be lucky to get my ph down to 7.9.Here is a picture of my piranha in this tank but look at the clearity of the water. Filter does a pretty good job i think. picture was taken with a cellphone camera.

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes a good Tap Water Purifier,..until you remove all the buffering ions from your tap water it will be difficult to maintain a constant ph,..and a fluctuating ph is worse than a slightly high reading.

Here is a link to Aquarium Pharmaceuticals "Tap Water Purifier"http://www.marinedepot.com/Aquarium_Pharmaceuticals_Tap_Water_Filter_DI_Only_Tap_Water_Filter_Systems-Aquarium_Pharmaceuticals_API_MARS_Fishcare-AP4111-FIRODI-vi.html